Quality six-year-old mare Lekvarte recorded a hard-fought Group II victory when landing the Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Tuesday.
The Joe Pride-trained mare was previously a three-time winner at Group Three level and narrowly prevailed from favourite Lazzura who was held up before making late-ground to finish second.
A ten time winner, Lekvarte’s best form had been on firmer ground than the heavy8 presented on Tuesday, and she had previously been unplaced in five attempts on heavy going.
“Gee she sprinted quickly on that ground and if you look at her form she has been a horse who has struggled on wet ground,” Pride said.
“That was a really good run and a Group Two, she’s in the Chairman’s Sale in six week’s time. She’ll have one more run in the Queen Of The Turf (Gr.1, 1600m) but she’s done her job in so many ways already so to get another good win out of her, it’ll be a sad day when she finishes.
“She’s a lovely mare. Excellent win and nice to see a mare at her age still racing on so well.”
Winning jockey Josh Parr said Pride had given him great confidence going into the race and said the mare was in exceptional condition.
“I couldn’t believe the power that she gave me when she travelled up behind them then got clear air and let go. It is a fun job at times, I’ll tell you,” Parr said.
By Westbury Stud stallion Reliable Man, Lekvarte is out of the black-type Encosta de Lago mare Plumm, who was runner-up in the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) for Grahame Begg.
The talented grey was sold as a yearling through the Westbury Stud Book 1 draft at Karaka in 2020, knocked down to BK Racing & Breeding in conjunction with Andrew Williams Bloodstock for $210,000. Lekvarte has now won A$1,140,330 in prizemoney. – NZ Racing Desk
Lekvarte is set to be sold at the Inglis Chairman's Sale on May 8 as Lot 77 with Glenesk Thoroughbreds.
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